Ambivalence
by raikis
Summary: When a threat is imposed on her Kingdom, Princess Lucy is abducted and imprisoned. Her captor? A wanted and feared assassin named Natsu Dragneel. Nalu AU
1. Chapter 1

a/n: here's the preview to this! the cover image being used is by phantombones! from her twitter, stayoffroute.

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><p>Ambivalence<p>

Dusk

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><p>Perched on the border of the Forbidden Woods on the highest branch of the tallest and broadest tree, was a man. A ragged cloak shadowed his identity down to the bridge of his nose, but the salmon-colored strands of hair were slightly visible, teasing out from under the edges of the fabric and over his skin. A light coat of rain showered the land, but the little water unfazed him. His attention and sharp eyes were locked on the castle that stood tall in distance. Surrounding walls that stood almost the same, guarding the citizens that house within the kingdom, leaving predators and people like himself out. Strapped loosely around his waist was a leathered belt containing a few picked <em>items<em> he felt necessary to bring with him, along with a small knife clipped to the inside of each his boot for extra coverage, even though his orders were not harm her when he got the girl into custody. But in this world outside the protection of the kingdom walls, nothing can survive without knowing how to protect itself. The creatures that lurk in these parts have yet to make the books, and he, a hired assassin is no better than them. It's to kill or be killed, no third option unless you're lucky, but luck is rare.

A grin etched at his lips as he straightened from his crouched position and stood. The sky was at dusk and the sun had set long before, and the night was at its darkest point—leaving only the moon and the scattered stars to litter the sky and shadow the land. He grabbed the branch collar that was in front of him and swung his legs up, and jumped over the end of it. A hand held the hood of his cloak in place as gravity did its deed and pulled him down, landing him in a perfect heap on the dry field. His back straightened and he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms out in front of her and popping his knuckles. The grin of his remained in place as he slowly started his way forward towards the walls, and he kept a hand at his side against his belt in case.

Even though the outside was the most gruesome place to wonder, this is a world of magic, and inside of the kingdom is no exception. Wizards of many kinds roam the lands from the inside, out, and this little Princess happens to be one of them.

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><p>"Your highness?" A voice sounded from outside the door along with a short repeated knock, "You're not still up, are you?" A little humor can be heard laced in the males tone as he slowly opened the door and walked in.<p>

Lucy smiled and turned to the butler from her seated position on the rim of her windowsill, "Why, of course not, Gray. I am sound asleep in my bed." She said teasingly, and giggled at the way the male rolled his eyes. The book that was present in her hands was gently closed and placed on the end of her dresser for it to be reopened tomorrow. Lucy stood and pranced over to her bed where Gray can be found standing beside it with his arms crossed, giving her an expression that _ordered_ her to sleep, but also made her laugh. He was her favorite servant that was hired by her father only a bit over a year back, but the two of them have bonded closely since then. But of course, she really wasn't one to choose favorites, he was like a close friend to her—almost brother like.

"You're due very early tomorrow, Princess, so I would recommend you—"

"How many times must I remind you to call me Lucy, Gray?" Lucy questioned, still using a teasing tone, "And I know, I know. Don't need to remind me a dozen times."

Gray nodded and pulled her quilts up as she settled down into her bed, "Just making sure," He paused, "_Lucy_."

"Much better!" Lucy nodded approvingly and dropped back down into her pillows and shifted comfortably. "Good night." Gray nodded to her respectively and turned to take his leave, and made it to the door before Lucy spoke up again, "You're top, Gray," A yelp erupted from the man's throat as he quickly re-buttoned his top garment and gave her a sheepish, yet, thankful look. He mumbled his farewell and pulled the door shut behind him as he exited, leaving Lucy alone.

She sighed and rolled over on her back and locked her eyes on the ceiling. The late night was quiet around this time, but the pitch-black sky was her favorite to look at seeing as the stars were more visible and brighter. The sight was breathtaking to look at, and it was one of the few reasons she stays up so late, reading against the sill of her window. And even though the rain was a slight bummer to the sight, Lucy still loved looking at it. She found getting comfortable easy as she snuggled down into her blankets and pillows, and sighed in delight and closed her eyes.

There was a long, still silence as her body slowly became heavier and heavier in her sleeping state. Lucy was able to comprehend the clicking that sounded around her room, coming from the clock that hung upon her wall on the far side of the room across from her. Nothing seemed unusual about this night than any other she had stayed up late. But even though her body was slowly seeping deeper into slumber, her mind was fully aware of the slight movement and sounds of the night around her. And as when the soft creaking of her window sounded followed by fain thumbs that throbbed against her floorboards did the stillness of her body from her slumber stiffen and Lucy shot upright in bed.

The form that had entered stilled for a moment before accepting its notice and moving towards her. The movements were quick, and Lucy had barely managed to thrash herself out from underneath her quilts and jump off the bed. Her vision wavered for a short moment, but she composed herself quickly, but not quick enough. Two muscular arms came up under her and locked her in their strong hold, but Lucy was in too much of a panic to keep still. She kicked and tried her hardest to wrench her arms free, and she had managed to loosen the hold somewhat, just enough for her to ring her arm back and strike her captor in the face with her elbow.

There was a grunt of pain and the hold she was in dropped, sending Lucy to the ground and on her hands and knees. She crawled her way to her dresser and reached her hand up to grasp her chain of keys she hand hanging and turned to press her back against the wall as she stood. The hood that hid the man's face had slipped off when she had struck him, but his head was bowed down with his hand covering his nose. Fresh drops of blood dripped down from the creases of his fingers, giving Lucy a small bit of pride knowing she had managed at least that. Her heart started pounding when he shifted and lifted his head up, and locking his stone stare on her. The snarl that was on his lips became visible as now that his cover was gone. Lucy fumbled with her keys like some fool when he started walking towards her again, but the moment she finally got the key she wanted in her grasp there a blur of movement until she felt a stabbing pain on the back of her neck, then she was out.

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><p>an: well? does it seem like it may be exciting?

thank you for reading! :)


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: i realized as i was typing this that there will be some _slight_ GrayLu in this, but this is supposed to be a NaLu story. just wanted to make that clear before someone messages me about it. chapter two! sorry for the wait!

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><p>Ambivalence<p>

Horologium Tower

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><p>It was cold. Her mouth was dry, her limbs felt numb, and her neck was throbbing as if it was wrung out like a wet rag. Her body was stiff as stone, and despite the confusion bubbling up, she squeezed her eyes and attempted to open them. As her head bobbed in all directions and as she tried to take in her current setting through the blaring light pouring in in front of her, her body slowly began to regain feeling and allow her to shift her legs and arms to position herself in her sitting position. Then she stopped upon feeling the extra weight pressing against her wrist like bricks, and looking down to see the shackles bolted around her wrist that chained into the brick wall she was leaned back against. Panic soon replaced the confusion that surfaced her emotions, and as of now that her eyes and body have adjusted to her waken state, she looked around the room she was in.<p>

The room she was in was anything but spacious. She was surrounded by four walls that were crumbling in places with holes and pipes running along the top. There was door, she noticed, on the far left of her with bars and bolts implanted, with two lit torches hung on either side of it. It looked like a chamber (?), or a cell of some sort, but she can't be entirely sure. She has seen one before, not to mention _inside_ in one. Lucy glanced down to her dress and gasped, finding the fabric torn along her legs which was coated in light bruises and scrapes running up her outer thigh of her right leg. She looked up and down at the rest of her appearance from what she's able to see, and felt a little relief that it was still intact. For her to show up in this type of situation with only a few scrapes, bruises, and a sore neck was a pro.

She would now just like to know where she is.

As if on cue, a bundle of voices came clear from outside her room and she instantly stiffened up, as well as her breathe hitching painfully in the middle of her chest. The urge to cough was strong, but she wanted to remain silent until the voices passed. Lucy held her breathe, which only worsened the scratching feeling in the back of her threat, and much to her dismay, the voices stopped right outside the door. Her head felt ready to burst at any moment and she attempted to swallow to soften the feeling, but failed as a strangled puff of air forcibly pushed from her lips. The sound sounded inhuman to her ears, and almost like she was choking, and she flushed despite herself in embarrassment. Giving up, Lucy began to violently cough, relieving the itching feeling in her throat. The voices ceased outside and the sound of a bolt being unlocked loudly clicked before the door was kicked open, allowing three figures to walk themselves in.

One man in particular stood out of her in his half-dressed state. Lucy's eyes widen and her mouth fell open, and the confusion from before came back like a ton of weight. The half-dressed male, Gray, stared her like an apologetic child as he took in her current position, her wrist bolted to the walls with medium sized chains holding her in place. His arms crossed and he averted his attention to the blunette standing beside him who was eyeing Lucy like a pound of meat, ready to pounce her at any given second.

"This is her?" The woman voiced in question, glancing up to Gray.

"This is her alright," The third person, which dragged Lucy's gaping attention, scowled and knelt down a few feet from her. His nose was circled in a nasty bruise with a little dry blood spotting at his nostrils, and Lucy realized, with a light scowl of her own, that this salmon-haired man was the one who brought her here, and was the cause of the pain her neck was in. Honestly, she won't be surprised if the back of her neck was bruised as well judging from the throbbing and stinging waves of pain pulsing through her nerves.

"Why is she being restrained?" Gray questioned, raising a brow to the other male.

"She's violent," The unnamed male grumbled, rubbing his injured nose painfully, wincing. Lucy felt a bit of pride swell in her chest at the gesture.

Gray snorted and shook his head in disapproval, "She's unarmed—she can't do anything." He pointed out, "Her keys are right there hanging off your belt,"

Eyes widening, Lucy snapped her eyes to the males lower half to, indeed, find that her keys were clipped to his waist and were dangling there off its chain. She moved to grab them, but the shackles around her wrist painfully kept her in place, but she didn't let it show.

"My keys—" At her sudden movement, the male jumped and stepped back, clearly not trusting her since the last time she strike him, even though she is clearly secured and unable to reach him. "Give me them!"

"No way!" The male gave her a look like she had said the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. Lucy glared and scowled at him, which he returned easily, "You'll have to earn it, _Princess_." Her glare wavered for a moment, but she looked over to Gray pleadingly for a moment before dropping her head and biting her lip in irritation. There was little to nothing she can do being cuffed like this in front of them, and not to mention she has no idea where she for the matter. Who is to tell how far she is from the Kingdom and if anyone has noticed or is looking for her?

Gray was here though. She has never thought that he would turn up to be an enemy against her—she trusted him and thought they were friends, but here, right now, Lucy feels she was just proven wrong.

"You're safe here, Lucy," The said man said, cutting into her thoughts, startling her with his statement.

"Safe?" She echoed, questioning the meaning behind the word, "Safe from what?" The dark tattoo on his chest drew in her attention as she looked up to him again. She recalls seeing it plenty times before—no thanks to that dreaded habit of his—but never dared to question him about it. Every time he caught her staring at it, he tensed and covered it, waving it off. Up till now, though, she never thought much of it. But from she can see, the woman standing beside him had the same mark on her thigh, as well the other male who has it on his shoulder.

"It's said The Iron Kingdom is plotting an attack, so we had to get you and King Jude to safety outside the Kingdom walls," Gray explained, "The others are working on getting your father out now as we speak."

"And the people?" Lucy questioned, "If Iron is going to attack, we should worry more about the people in the town! Not my father and I!"

"Fairy Tail already has the place surrounded from the inside, out," Gray said, "We're way ahead of you on this."

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy questioned, but she assumed this draws make to their tattoos.

"Fairy Tail will protect the Kingdom," The pale women declared proudly, still eyeing Lucy with a testy eye, "You doubt the strongest guild?"

_Guild_—that's what they were for. These guys were mages, like herself, but maybe stronger. Ignoring the woman's question for the moment, Lucy looked back to Gray and knitted her brows. It was a common known fact that magic users weren't allowed to be hired to work for her father, so there had to be a reason he had got in.

"How—"

"We got to get going, Natsu," Gray cut her off, "The others are expecting Juvia and I at the entrance before noon."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go, then," The other male, Natsu, crossed his arms and turned for the door as the Gray and Juvia walked out ahead of him, "I'll be back, Princess," Natsu grinned from the doorway, waving over his shoulder towards her. After the door was closed and Lucy was left alone, there was a short silence around her before a small frown settled on her lips.

"It's _Lucy_," She mumbled flatly, pouting slightly. Ever since she had reached a mature age, being called Princess was unpleasant to hear and preferred being addressed as her name, since she was given it for a reason. Lucy scowled and slumped down against the wall, dropping her head back against it as well. She still has no idea what is going on—Gray didn't care to fill her in on much. And now they're leaving!

"Shut up Gray! You know you guys can't get anywhere through here without me!"

Lucy heard Natsu shout from outside. Her head rolled over to the side where an opening in the wall was in view for her, allowing her to see outside the tower she was in. Her stomach flipped as she became aware of how high she was from the ground judging by the size the three of them look from here. But then she caught a good view of where exactly she was located, and her stomach did more than flip.

The Forbidden Woods was _forbidden_ for a reason and it was a law that no being was to enter them. Her mother, the late Queen Layla set that law into place around the time before Lucy was born. Compared to the rest of the land, the woods were a dark grey-scale to the earth. It was dark and seemingly dead to the eye, like a scar. The place was said to be cursed and that anyone and anything that enters does not return out—alive, at least that is. But these people—these Fairy Tail mages—from her understanding, they have passed through them more than once. _How_, was the question? Lucy was starting to believe the curse wasn't true, but what would explain the people that have gone missing entering the woods? She'll have to ask questions when Natsu returned, like he told her he would.

So with her eyes narrowed, Lucy watched the three of them disappear behind the dead bark of trees and leaves, but not before the thought rosey-haired man sent a glance over his shoulder to the tower, and Lucy was nearly sure their eyes had made contact before he turned and walked out of her line of vision.

_He's sharp_, she thought, chewing her bottom lip nerving. That Natsu guy might now some answers to her questions, so she'll have to be patient and wait for him to return. In the mean time, she'll have to keep herself entertained.

Lucy sighed and slumped against the wall again, and wiggled her wrist in the shackles and pulled at the chains. They were rather uncomfortable and heavy, and quite annoying. If they are meaning to keep her safe, why bother treating her like a prisoner? She just hopes her father is receiving better treatment than this. When she had closed her eyes and dozed off to sleep was unknown to her, but she was shaken out of her sleeping state by a strong pressure pressing down against the shackles on her wrist and hot air brushing down her nose. Her eyes cracked open for a moment, then closed again, then reopened to adjust. There was a pause and stiff silence as the male hovering over her locked eyes with her own, his hands at her sides pressing against the cuffs on her wrist, and his legs crouched on either side of her thighs.

Without further delay, Lucy screamed and flung forward, smashing her forehead against his, receiving a yelp of pain. Her knees thrashed up and hit a certain spot against the poor man's groin, causing him to fall forward into her chest. Lucy gasped as his face became buried in the crease of her breast and attempted to shake him off, still in a panic. It was only when the male rolled over on the floor beside her holding his crotch in pain, glaring at her, did she comprehend who he was.

Natsu glared—_hard_ at her, "What the hell! I was tryin' to take the cuffs off!"

Lucy felt guilt swelling in her stomach as she looked at his fatal position, and the scowl he was giving her, "Sorry, sorry! It was a reaction!" She defended, though, shamefully, she felt a little proud.

"Reaction _my ass!_"


End file.
